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Tullius
Vigilo Tullius Bellator, 2432-2497, was an Imperial statesman, general, and notable strategist and author of the late Merrovian Empire. He was the last true Emperor, and his death in battle led directly to the chaos of the Imperial Civil War. Early life and career Born in 2432 in the trading city of Helmsport, Tullius was born the son of a minor civil servant and joined the Legions at the typical age of eighteen as an officer. Due to his early promise he was sent to the military academy at Merrow, where he excelled in small-unit tactics and received several commendations. On graduating from the academy, he was assigned to the 99th Legion in early 2452. Tullius' company was instrumental in the defeat of hidiir fighters under the command of Bowren D'doren at the Battle of Stone Mountaion in 2453, and, although D'doren escaped, this victory was more than sufficient to mark Tullius as a rising star. The Emperor of this time was Octanivus, an energetic leader dedicated to restoring the old glory of the Empire. Octanivus was impressed by the stories coming out of the 99th about this young leader, and invited Tullius to an audience. Tullius accepted, but brought his entire company with him, claiming before the Imperial Council that his victory was as much to his men and their skills and loyalty as it was due to any talent he might have possessed. Impressed further, Octanivus took Tullius under his wing, and with the Emperor's support Tullius was rapidly promoted, repeatedly proving victorious against rebels, external threats and the hidiir of the desert. In 2461, he was finally promoted General and given command of 33rd Legion. Generalship of the 1st Legion In 2470, Tullius finally achieved the pinnacle of Imperial military command - he was promoted to General of the 1st Legion. Traditionally, generalship of the 1st Legion can only be bestowed by the vote of the Generals of all the other legions, 1st holding that it represents the original Legion of Mereditus, founder of the Empire. It is a testament to Tullius' skill in diplomacy as well as on the battlefield that he was able to secure the approval of his fellow generals to this extent. As General of the 1st Legion, Tullius was forced to suspend his campaigns against the hidiir to take up the more ceremonial duties of 1st Legion. Election as Emperor In 2473, aged and weary from his duties, Emperor Octanivus died quietly in his bed, surrounded by his family. Once the mourning period had passed, the Imperial Council met to elect his successor. Octanivus had made his wishes clear, and the Council saw no threat in acceding to their Emperor's last wish - Tullius was elected Emperor, the first Emperor-General since the military government had fallen in 2424. Early fears that Tullius might wish to restore the primacy of the military in Imperial politics quickly fell away when Tullius made his intentions clear - the total supression of the vicious desert nomads, the hidiir. Desert campaigns The public re-emergence of Bowren D'doren as leader of the hidiir, following his presence at the forefront of the sacking and destruction of Fort Moonhollow in 2474, energised the entire Empire into supporting Tullius' campaigns. These campaigns occupied the majority of Tullius' reign, lasting until the very day of his death in 2497. During this time, over one hundred successful campaigns were carried out, including the sieges of the hidiir holy cities Matherion and Cimmura. Now an old man, Tullius succeeding in pushing the armed forces of the hidiir back to their final stronghold, the Fortress of the Desert's Heart. This ancient stone fortress, carved out of a single mountain in the heart of the central desert, was believed to be impenetrable. However, by devious means and cunning strategy, Tullius was able to reduce one section of the walls, allowing a sizeable contingent of his army to sneak into the fortress. When the incursion was detected, Tullius led the remainder of his force to assault the main gates, trusting in the distraction of the defenders for his success. Death Tullius and the main body of his armies were able to break through the main gate, although with considerable loss of life, and were able to hold the gates long enough to bring reinforcements into the fortress itself. While modern historians agree the fortress was lost when the main gates fell, the hidiir were not so easily persuaded and fought valiantly. Tullius and his lifelong rival, Bowren D'doren, found each other in one of the highest courtyards of the fortress, and there before their armies they duelled to the death. Imperial histories record that Tullius defeated his foe, but the wounds inflicted on the now-elderly general were too much for him, and he died on the duelling field in the midst of battle. Legacy Tullius's body was returned to Merrow accompanied by the spoils of his wars, and his funeral consumed an entire month. The Imperial Council found itself deadlocked over the choice of his successor, and, filled with a sense of power from their recent victories, several of Tullius' generals sought the Imperial Throne. Fearing a return to the military government not even a century deceased, several candidates from the Imperial Council claimed their own right to the throne, and the Imperial Civil War had begun. Tullius' other major contribution was the memoires of his campaigns, That's No Sand Dune, a book that can be found in every military library ever since. This six-volume work contains not only Tullius' accumulated strategic learning, but also his detailed personal diaries covering such things as logistics, personnel management and diplomatic techniques. Category:People